With just hours to Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country, reports from Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria say, there is palpable fear and tension in the Okposi community, Ohaozara Local Government Area, over the killing of a popular local businessman.
AIT gathered that suspected armed men attacked and killed the local trader, simply identified as Ogbonnaya late Thursday, causing residents to shut down social and economic activities in the area on the eve of election day.
A source says the victim was at his shop, located within the busy Okposi Court Area, which is the commercial nerve center of the community, at about 8 pm, when some hoodlums struck, in what appears to be a targeted attack.
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Governor Dave Umahi is from Ohaozare LGA, and his home village Uburu shares a common boundary with the Okposi community, the scene of the latest killing in the State.
A video obtained by AIT of the situation in the Okposi Court area on Friday, shows a seemingly tense environment, though the pictures have not been independently verified.
The Police in Ebonyi State have confirmed the incident, saying there is normalcy in the area.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Airforce has deployed a fighter jet to Ebonyi State to ensure that the purported threats of Third forces that there would be no election in the South East region of the country are countered.
(Editor: Hadiza. A. A)
